<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Good Start is Half the Work by GlitterNyappyGacktRose</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24485908">A Good Start is Half the Work</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterNyappyGacktRose/pseuds/GlitterNyappyGacktRose'>GlitterNyappyGacktRose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cute, Fluff, Healing, M/M, Other, Season 2 Alternative Ending, awkward but cute</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:01:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24485908</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterNyappyGacktRose/pseuds/GlitterNyappyGacktRose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Several days have passed since the trio killed Dracula. Trevor and Sypha are very concerned about Alucard, who is keeping to himself and not even sleeping. They’ve unsuccessfully tried to convince him to rest several times. This time, Trevor takes a different approach…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Trevor Belmont</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Good Start is Half the Work</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/627754">Baby animals soothed after mascara brush appeal</a> by BBC News.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Belmont, I know you’re there. You’ve been staring at me from the shadows for the last ten minutes. Now, either come here and help clean up or leave me in peace.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alucard had snapped at him without even turning around, sweeping up shards of broken glass from the cold stone floor of the castle. Awkwardly, Trevor shuffled into the light, a book tucked under his arm. Over three days had passed since they’d defeated Dracula. And since then, as far as Trevor could tell, Alucard hadn’t slept a wink. He spent the days isolating himself from him and Sypha, busying himself with repairing and tidying up the castle. Sypha had tried to reach out to him, urging him to take a break or have something to eat. But Alucard had insisted that he was fine, that he just had a lot of work to do. And so, Sypha had asked Trevor to try get through to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Belmont, if you’re not- is that a paintbrush?” asked Alucard after a long silence, a puzzled look on his face as he turned around to face him. Trevor was so caught off guard that he dropped his book as he struggled to conceal the brush in his sleeve. But as he bent down to retrieve the book, Alucard appeared suddenly, moving faster than the human eye could follow. Before Trevor could stop him, Alucard flicked the book open to the page that had been bookmarked, a frown appearing on his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I-I’ve come to paint this room,” stuttered Trevor. “I thought this place could do with a fresh lick of paint and-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And you intend on doing that with a tiny paintbrush and no paint?” pointed out Alucard.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, you see-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t lie to me, Belmont. I know how to read. If you really do intend on painting, then how do you explain this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Trevor let out a sigh. His attempt at subtlety had been a miserable failure. He stared at Alucard, taking in the disapproving look on his tired and worn face before resting his eyes on the book. There on the page was a picture of a wide-eyed, fluffy baby bunny being brushed with a tiny brush under the caption “<strong>Soothing baby orphaned animals with paint brushes</strong>”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right, this wasn’t how I wanted to approach this, but since you’ve figured me out…” began Trevor, as Alucard raised an eyebrow. “Look, I found this extract about helping little orphaned animals relax and feel safe by brushing them with tiny brushes. And… well, I’m worried about you. You were left with no choice but to kill your own father, something no-one should ever have to do. And now, you’re alone. So, I was thinking that perhaps… you know…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At that moment, the paintbrush hidden in Trevor’s sleeve slipped out and fell to the floor with a clatter. Alucard glanced at it, before letting out an amused snort and turning back to putting order on the destroyed room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please, Belmont. I’m not a quivering kitten in need of love and attention. Now leave. I’m sure the two of you have somewhere else to be.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once again, Trevor let out a sigh and slumped into the only remaining chair that hadn’t been reduced to a pile of splintered wood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s just… Sypha seemed so desperate,” admitted Trevor. “So desperate to get through to you that she turned to me of all people and asked for my help. She was so worried about you that she came to me in tears, begging me to try talk some sense into you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alucard froze, the remains of a broken vase in his hand. He stood still for a moment, before wandering back over to Trevor, his expression rueful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I… I didn’t mean to cause you such worry, especially Sypha,” muttered Alucard, avoiding Trevor’s gaze. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much trouble. But really, you don’t have to worry about me. It’s perfectly ok for you to forget all about this and move on with your lives-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alucard, you don’t have to put on a brave face for me,” interrupted Trevor, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’ve lost everything dear to you. I know how that feels, and it’s not something you can just shake off. Just let me help you, alright? We’re not just going to leave you like this. And I can’t bear to see Sypha like this. Just let me help you so I can see her happy and carefree again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alucard looked ready to object, but he seemingly thought better of it. He took a deep breath and nodded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright, Belmont. Just tell me what to do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took Trevor several seconds to realise that Alucard had actually agreed. Hastily, he flicked through the book, rapidly rereading the passage to confirm the details. Apparently, this method worked best when the animals felt warm and safe. At first, Trevor assumed that there was no such place in Dracula’s castle. But then he remembered the rather untouched-looking bedroom he’d stumbled across the other day, one that had not gotten destroyed in the fight. Wordlessly he led the way, Alucard following somewhat apprehensively behind him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, I’ll need you to get into the bed… under the covers,” explained Trevor once they entered the room. He glanced up from the book to spot Alucard arching an eyebrow. Trevor felt his cheeks redden. But to his relief Alucard didn’t put up a fight. He removed his boots and climbed into the bed, wrapping the covers around himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I hope this won’t take too long,” muttered Alucard, staring at Trevor expectantly. “There seems to be no end in sight for the work that has to be done…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hold on, I’m coming,” responded Trevor, kneeling down at the bedside. With one hand holding the book open in his lap, Trevor reached forward with the other hand, gingerly tracing circles on Alucard’s cheek with the paintbrush. Alucard wrinkled his nose, looking as though he was about to sneeze. He blinked a few times before fixing his gaze directly onto Trevor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, do you have to look directly at me?” protested Trevor, feeling quite embarrassed by the ridiculousness of the situation. “I’m just as uncomfortable as you are. But I promised Sypha…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alucard slowly shut his eyes. Perhaps he too felt uneasy. Trevor continued to gently brush his face with the brush, this time barely just stroking the skin of Alucard’s cheek. While he continued, his eyes focused once more on the book in his lap. Was there anything about the technique he should be applying? Trevor reread the passage once more, only to realise that the author had suggested mimicking the movement of the mother’s tongue. Which wasn’t really much use to him, since Alucard wasn’t an animal. With a sigh, he snapped the book shut and stood up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right, this is ridiculous. I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Trevor cut off when he realised that all he could hear was the sound of Alucard’s slow and steady breathing. Surely he hadn’t…? Trevor silently knelt back down and waved his palm in front of Alucard’s paler than usual face. But there was no reaction: Alucard had fallen asleep. For the first time in several days, Alucard was sleeping. And just by the sight of him, Trevor himself felt exhausted. His body ached from the fight, and he was covered with bruises. He could only imagine how much pain Alucard was in, as he was the one who’d fought Dracula head on and borne the brunt of the fight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not wanting to disturb him, Trevor crept as quietly as he could into the bed beside Alucard. The first step was getting him to sleep. Perhaps next he could convince him to eat something. Trevor wrapped his arm around his friend, holding him close before shutting his eyes and attempting to sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A good start is half the work.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>